Image Up Advertising & Design

FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | NOVEMBER 2021 9 Glenn with his wife, Elizabeth Part of Glenn's memorabilia collection. Glenn is pictured with his camera, bottom-center enlisted aerial combat photographers. He shot both still and video imagery of 10 different combat air patrols over Kuwait and Iraq from the back seat of an F-15 tactical aircraft. His timely imagery was made for operational planning to the deployed 1st Tactical Fighter Wing Commander, the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Pentagon, and for briefings to other national command authorities, including the President of the United States. Glenn recalls one of his other photographic missions while assigned to Yakota AB, where his pilot made a sudden high G-force aircraft turn, causing his F-15 pilot to lose consciousness. The plane was losing altitude, and Glenn was a mere several seconds from implementing ejection of both the pilot and then himself when the pilot groggily came back on the intercom and fortunately brought the plane back under control. Requirements were that if an aircraft exceeded the 8-G limit, it must be reported because the high G-forces could affect the integrity of the aircraft. The pilot did not report this event, but Glenn did, and the aircraft was properly inspected. Glenn was the last combat cameraman to remain behind in Kuwait until June 1990, so he could photograph imagery of the rebuilding of the infrastructure in Kuwait City, including all essential functions, such as power plants, oil fields, highways, airports, as well as the re- opening of schools, banks, and businesses. After the war, Glenn had a few other assignments, such as visual documentation of the humanitarian efforts in East Africa due to famine, combat operations of Navy SEAL teams, and Army Special Forces retaking the U.S. Embassy in Somalia. Some of his "firsts" include: (1) first to photograph the first female fighter pilot; (2) first to use a digital camera in the Gulf War; and (3) first to film a Cruise Missile launch test. No wonder he was nicknamed Glenn "Sky" King! He retired from the Air Force in 1996 after more than 24 years of service. According to Glenn, "My Air Force photo career was one of the most challenging but rewarding service I could possibly imagine, enabling me to witness military history, travel the world, and make many new friends." On the personal side, Glenn was married and divorced twice while serving in the military, and has a daughter and a son. He remarried in 2003 to his wife, Elizabeth, and they now have a blended family of six adult children and nine grandchildren. They moved to Four Seasons Beaumont in 2017 to be closer to some of their grandchildren, who live in Beaumont. If you ever have a chance to meet Glenn, ask him about some of his stories. You won't be disappointed. And for those who might be interested, there are two Air Force Combat Camera displays in the local area, one at the March AFB Field Museum, located at 2250 Van Buren Blvd in Riverside; and the Norton AFB Museum, at 1601 East Third Street in San Bernardino. For military Veterans, admission is free.

• Cover